Antony’s penalty in this hollow means the much-maligned winger needs just two more goals to equal last season’s three for Manchester United. That poor tally sums up how poor he’s been, so scoring against a weak opponent isn’t a phoenix-like return from the flames, but a step towards rebuilding his position under Erik ten Hag. Marcus Rashford’s expertly executed double, however, can be seen as evidence that he’s back to his best after Saturday’s goal at Southampton. With Alejandro Garnacho also netting twice, it was a satisfying outing for the three wingers.

“They are very ambitious, hungry, but what you also see is that they give each other the ball,” Ten Hag said. “They also give assists and give each other the chance to score a goal – like the penalty, when Antony needs a bit of confidence, Rashy (the normal taker) gives it to him, which is good in a team.” On the No. 10’s upturn in form, Ten Hag said: “Confidence is a big part of it, it’s not everything, and Rashford is a big boy, scored so many goals, he’s on United’s list of goalscorers. But you’re only as good as your last game and every time you have to prove that. The biggest boys, the biggest footballers, if they don’t score, they go down in performance, it doesn’t matter who.”

Twenty-seven years ago, this was a Premier League match that ended 7-0 to United, giving Sir Alex Ferguson’s vintage a league total of 9-0 for the 1997-8 season. On this night, as their great rivals Liverpool took on Milan at the San Siro in a clash of Champions League aristocrats, Ten Hag’s men progressed in England’s Second Division trophy, beating Barnsley, who had arrived seventh in League One and left on the wrong end of humiliation.

Antony, determined to heed his manager’s talk of fighting to regain his place, raced down the right. Before that, Manuel Ugarte, on his full debut, had failed to pick out a team-mate with a mid-range pass, the Uruguayan having to settle.

Then United did, with the beautiful move that led to Rashford’s opening goal. Casemiro flicked the ball crossfield to Christian Eriksen, who passed it to Garnacho. A sweeping diagonal pass found the England striker’s toes. As Barnsley fell back, Rashford danced forward and then fired high into Gabriel Slonina’s goal.

Ten Hag was pleased by his team’s pace. Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, Eriksen, Garnacho and Rashford turned the ball around and moved into pockets to receive it again and, after two clumsy fouls, Ugarte did his best work, enjoying a buccaneering run that earned a free-kick. When Rashford slipped the ball to Antony in the box, he got ahead of Slonina, the keeper knocking him down in the process; the Brazilian scored with a curling finish.

“Two-nil up and you still look bad,” the Tykes fans chanted, but United were the opposite: a mean, hungry machine chasing a third when Casemiro fired. Barnsley were shaken and needed the break to recover. But before that, Ugarte was trampled by Luca Connell after another effort from the new boy, but despite being left bloodied, he kept going. Then Garnacho scored the third. Casemiro kicked Rashford and as he tried to make space, the ball flew to the Argentine who slotted it home and beat Slonina.

Four minutes into the second half this became a punishment. From the centre circle, Rashford found Eriksen and his sliding ball set Garnacho up in acres of space and barrelled towards the penalty area. With Slonina only half-out to meet him, the Argentine fired home.

Four-nil almost became five when Rashford fired home a 30-yard free-kick, with Slonina having to dive to his right. Barnsley failed in a damage limitation exercise against an opponent, leaving the tie a duck-shoot.

Rashford joined Garnacho in the club with two goals with a direct left footed shot after Antony had called for a handball. The ball fell to Garnacho who set up Rashford and he did the rest. Moments later, either Garnacho or Rashford should have made it a hat-trick. The former broke through again and instead of shooting he tried to create for the latter but his radar was off.

Finally, Eriksen slotted in, first from close range, then from further away, to ensure Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace will be experienced with particularly good heart. Ten Hag said: “I wasn’t devastated by Liverpool (United lost 3-0), I’m not celebrating now. We’re on the road and we’ll see where we are in May because then we have to be good, you have to be at your best and take the team forward every time.

“I know where I want to go, in which direction, I know we have a lot of speed and we saw that today.”